Ziibiwing Center - Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan

Commercial ServicesTo purchase and promote culturally relevant materials that support the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michiganand other Great Lakes Anishinabek while upholding the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 when selling anddisplaying North American Indian art.The Commercial Services Department hasworked extremely hard over the past four years toimprove sales and productivity while decreasingcosts and overhead. A strong focus has been placedon customer service, as well as a conviction that thecustomer always comes first.Over the past four years, the CommercialServices Department supported over 175 NorthAmerican Indian vendors and is currently workingwith approximately 35 artists on a regular basis.These artists are able to supply the demand ofcultural material that our customers enjoypurchasing.The team firmly believes in the mission and iscommitted to the goals of the organization.They also understand that profits are used tosupport the Ziibiwing Center’s services, programs,and efforts to preserve culture and language for thetribal community. The Commercial ServicesDepartment feels that this deeper meaning helpsmotivate and educate not only the retail staff, but allof the customers who support the Ziibiwing retailstores.2005Total Income from 4 retail locations - $247,997Total Sales from 4 retail locations - $2,098,7242006• New menu was designed and implemented inthe Ziibiwing Center Café• Updated the Point-of-Sale (POS) Payment TechSystem with new credit card securities andupgraded the POS Info Touch System• Started the Anishinabe Santa program with theassistance of the Ziibiwing Center staff• Worked with the Accounting Department toseparate all four retail stores on the monthlyfinancials and yearly budget• Provided new uniform shirts to improveemployee image and boost staff moral• Helped organize and cater the Diba Jimooyunghistory book reception• Retyped and made a digital file for CommercialServices Policies & ProceduresTotal Income from 4 retail locations - $100,224Total Sales from 4 retail locations - $2,037,154External Support:• Grants: $193,956• Sponsorships: $100,000• Meeting Room Bookings: $50,160• Memberships: $63,857• Donations: $66,114• Ni-Bami Campaign: $28,169(137 bricks & 87 trees)• Admissions: $109,282• Tours: 627 with 22,727 admissions purchased• External Requests for Assistance (2006-2008):Ziibiwing Center staff has logged 12,055requests for their historical, cultural, or languageexpertise from outside entities and individuals.• Scholarships: $9,1421) The Financial and Organizational SustainabilityWorkshop: Three-day workshop, hotel, meals,and mileage provided by the KelloggFoundation for the Ziibiwing Center Directorand Assistant Director to participate in October2005.2) Managing a Small Archive Workshop -A Workshop for Native Museums and CulturalCenters: Scholarship for Research CenterCoordinator to participate in Window Rock,Arizona April 9-13, 2007.3) Archive Training: Scholarship for ResearchCenter Coordinator to participate in the“Guardians of Language, Memory, andLifeways: Tribal Archives, Libraries, andMuseums” Conference in Oklahoma City,Oklahoma October 23-25, 2007.4) Tribal Museum Leadership Institute: All expensespaid for the Ziibiwing Center Director toparticipate and present a workshop about theZiibiwing Center March 24-28, 2008 inClewiston, Florida.5) National Association of Tribal Historic PreservationOfficers (NATHPO): All expenses paid for theZiibiwing Center Director and NATHPO Fellowto participate in the Annual Meeting andpresent a workshop about the Ziibiwing CenterSeptember 24-26, 2008 in Washington, DC.Grants $193,956Sponsorships $100,000Meeting Room Bookings $50,160Memberships $63,857Donations $66,114Ni-Bami Campaign $28,169Scholarships $9,142Admissions $109,282• Internships and Volunteers:1) College Interns: Eight undergraduate studentsfrom Central Michigan University and oneNational Association of Tribal HistoricPreservation Officers’ Fellowship ($3,000stipend) to a Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribalmember from July-September 2008.2) Volunteers: Twelve to fifteen School of SocialWork students from Grand Valley StateUniversity spend two weeks every Aprilworking in the center.• Collaborations: Over the past four years we havebuilt relationships with the following externalinstitutions and organizations: FrankenmuthHistorical Society, National Museum of theAmerican Indian, National Association of TribalHistoric Preservation Officers, MichiganAnishinaabek Cultural Protection & RepatriationAlliance, Michigan State University & MSUMuseum, Central Michigan University, NokomisLearning Center, Saginaw Children’s Museum,Sesquicentennial Committee of Isabella County,Forest Hills Nature Center, Chippewa NatureCenter, Pine River Nature Center, MichiganEnglish Language Arts Bias and SensitivityCommittee, World Intellectual PropertyOrganization (Geneva, Switzerland),Nickelodeon’s World Wide Day of Play, Chicago’sField Museum, Jesse Besser Museum, AmericanAssociation of Museums, Michigan MuseumsAssociation, Bay County Museum, MidlandHistorical Society, University of Michigan’sExhibit Museum, Grand Valley State University,Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, StoneCrest Apartments, National City, Charles Schwab& Co., Inc., HATS, Mt. Pleasant Chamber ofCommerce, Mt. Pleasant Rental Center, and6) American Indian Alaskan Native TourismAssociation: All expenses paid for the ZiibiwingCenter Director to participate and present aworkshop about tribal museums at theAmerican Indian Tourism ConferenceSeptember 29-October 1, 2008 in Coeur D’Alene,18 Idaho.Mt. Pleasant Convention and Visitors Bureau. 7